CBC to expand radio and internet presence in Kitchener and Waterloo by fall 2012

Waterloo Region Record

WATERLOO REGION — CBC has set its sights on Kitchener and Waterloo for local radio and internet programming in the fall of 2012 as part of its national expansion plans.

“Kitchener-Waterloo came up as one of the most pressing areas,” Kirstine Stewart, CBC’s executive vice-president of English services, told The Record.

“It’s such a burgeoning urban community with its technology, universities, arts and culture. There’s an exchange of ideas that’s specific to Kitchener-Waterloo — its business and technology news are quite different from Toronto. It’s such a growth place.’’

What this means, in practical terms, is coverage of local news, weather and sports where none exists now on both radio and an online page tailored to Kitchener and Waterloo (Cambridge, says Stewart, is not part of the proposed coverage area).

Recent talk of government cutbacks had longtime CBC supporters worried plans to expand to underserved communities would be placed on indefinite hold, but Stewart says that while the longevity of such projects remains an open question, it will go ahead.

“We have ways of doing this now we couldn’t have done 10 years ago,” she said, citing advances in technology that could, she suggests, facilitate “trimming” in other areas to offset budget cuts.

“This is a pretty big priority.”

Currently, Waterloo Region listeners tune in to CBC at 89.1. Elizabeth Lea, director of CBC Public Affairs, says they are not anticipating any change to the frequency.

Details will be announced in the coming months.

Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig was miffed — but not surprised — at the CBC’s apparent snub of Waterloo Region’s second largest city.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of it,” he said when told of the public broadcaster’s announcement after a city meeting Monday evening.

Tuesday, he’s going to contact Cambridge’s MP, Science and Technology Minister Gary Goodyear, to ask what’s going on with CBC’s radio plans for the region.

“That’s the problem,” said Craig. “People outside of the region just think it’s just the K-W region.”

Goodyear weighed in on the matter later Monday night with the following statement sent from his office: “For many years, residents of Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge have been well-served by local print, broadcast, internet and other media. I understand the CBC has made a decision to establish a presence here in the region.

“I am confident that CBC reporters will find that residents of Cambridge and communities throughout the area have many important and valuable insights to share. I will be writing to the president of the CBC to make sure the broadcaster includes all of our local communities in their service plans.”